Arch-brick



A. H. WILLETT.

ARCH BRICK.

AFFLICAUON FILED MAR.4. 1919.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFREDH. WILLETT, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ARCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ARCH-BRICK. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 4, 1919. Serial no.'2so,5a5.

This invention relates to bricks suitable for use in the arches or baflies of locomotive fire boxes and the like. One of the primary objects of my invention isthe provision of an improved form of brick provided with interlocking means so constructed that two bricks of the same design and size, placed end to end, may be supported between arch tubes or between a tube and a side sheet and remain self-supporting. Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved brick having the characteristics spe'cified which will readily accommodate itself to variations in the spaces between tubes or the widths of the fire boxes.

I accomplish the foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear, by means of a constructionwhich I have illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a locomotive fire box illustrating the application of my improved brick; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of two bricks supported in interlocking position upon circulation tubes; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing a brick embodying my improvements constructed with support on one side from studs secured to the side sheets of the fire box;'

and Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the bricks.

The application of my invention in forming an arch or balile suitable for use in locomotive fire boxes is illustrated in Fig. 1, from. inspection of which it will be seen that I have diagrammatically. indicated a fire box A. provided with the usual circulation tubes 7, extending rearwardly and upwardly from the front water leg 8 to the rear water le 9. The arch, indicated at B, is compose of a plurality of arch bricks constructed in accordance with my inven tion. The bricks C,-which are preferably counterparts, have at one end a cut-away or socket portion 10 adapted to fit a circulation tube 17, and at the same end the opposite corner portion is cut-away or chainfered as indicated at 11, providing a flat inclined supporting surface. At the opposite end, each brick is provided with a projecting nose portion 12 having a rounded surface 13, and an under-cut portion 14: having an oppositely curved surface 15. The nose 12 and the under-cut portion 14 are complementary and each has a length approximately half the width of a brick, so that when two of the bricks are assembled,

the nose 12 of one brick will fit into the under-cut portion 14: of the'other brick, with the curved space 13 and 15 abutting one another. I

The curved surfaces 13 and 15 are preferably struck from the same center as the socket, and since each brick has a length somewhat exceeding half of the distance between tubes, it will be seen that when two of the bricks are assembled in interlocking relation they form an obtuse angle and adjust themselves securely in position between the tubes. It will also be apparent that the bricks accommodate themselves to different spacings between tubes because of their rounded abutting surfaces.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a form of brick suitably constructed to be supported from studs secured to the side sheets. The interlocking features of the brick are the same as heretofore described, and the brick at the opposite end is provided with a socket 10 along one edge. On the opposite edge of the same end, however, the bricks are recessed as at .16 to engage studs 17 secured to the side sheets 18. While I have shown this form of brick in connection with a brick suitable for use with circulation tubes, it will be obvious that in certain types of fire boxes, twosuch bricks as just de scribed may be supported from the side sheets in the manner described to construct a raised center arch.

I claim: .1. A brick for locomotive arches in which Patented Dec. 20, 1921. j

complementary bricks are arranged in pairs with one brick leaning against the other and with the outer ends supported on the adjacent structure, having on its brick engagu at brick. I

2. A brick for locomotive arches in which complementary bricks are arranged in pairs with one brick leaning against the other andv with the outer ends sup-ported on the adj acent structure, having on its brick engaging end at one side thereof a projecting nose with a convex surface and at the other side thereof a recess with a concave surface of similar curvature, said concave surface forming an acute angle with the upper face of the brick and the planes of the concave and of the convex surfaces intersecting at approximately the upper face of the brick.

3. A brick for locomotive arches in which complementary bricks are arranged in pairs with one brick-leaning against the other and with the outer ends supported on the adjacent structure, having on its brick engagingv end a projecting nose with a convex surface and a recess with a concave surface of similar curvature, the planes of the concave and of the convex surfaces intersecting at approximately the upper face of the brick.

4. A brick for locomotive arches in which complementary bricks are arranged in pairs with one brick leaning against the other and with the outer ends supported on arch tubes, having on its arch tube end a curved supporting surface struck from a center which is ap roximately that of the tube ,upon' whic it rests and on its brick engaging end a projecting nose with a convex surface struck from the; same center and a recess with a'concave surface of similar curvature.

5. A brick for locomotive arches in which complementary bricks are arranged in pairs with one brick leaning against the other and with the outer ends supported on the adj acent structure, having its brick engagmg end cut back at one side thereof on a plane extending at an acute angle with the upper face of the brick such cut back portion constituting a recess on the under face of the brick at one side thereof and providing a p Q momma projecting nose at the other side thereof, the nose on one brick being adapted to it into the recess of the adjacent brick in each pair. 6. A pair of substantially counterpart brick members each having support engaging and brick engaging portions at opposite ends, said brick engaging portions being substantially complementary and arranged with respect to each other and the support engaging portions to make the brick members variable as to effective length to fit difierent spacings of supports, said brick engaging portions cooperating to provide reciprocal support for the adjacent ends of the members throughout the range of adjustment.

7. A pair of brick members each having support engaging and brick engaging portions at opposite ends, said brick engaging portions being substantially counterpart and substantially complementary and arranged with respect-to'each other and the support engaging portions to make the brick members variable as to efiective length to fit dif ferent spacings of supports, said brick engaging portions cooperating to provide reciprocal support for the adjacent ends of the members throughout the range of adjustment.

8. A brick for fire box arches in whichthe bricks are arran ed in pairs with one brick leaning against t e other and with, the outer ends supported on the adjacent structure, having on its brick engaging end oppositely inclined abutting surfaces one of which forms an acute angle with the upper face of the brick and the other of which an obtuse angle, the surface forming the acute angle in one; brick of a pairof bricks abutting against the surface forming the obtuse angle in the'other brick, whereby the pair constitute a self supporting arch structure.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ALFRED H. WILLETT. 

